This Week in Weird, May 29

Friday

May 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMMay 29, 2009 at 10:04 AM

A man stares down a coyote to save a baby deer, golfers are held up on the 15th hole, and more in this week's edition.

Man saves fawn from coyote

ROCKLAND, Mass. -- When Doug DelPrete first saw the baby deer, its head was in the mouth of a coyote. The Rockland resident yelled at the coyote, which dropped the male fawn and stared at DelPrete before stalking off into the woods.

“I just kind of looked at him,” DelPrete said. “I wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen.”

He had heard crying around 9 a.m. Wednesday, and found the fawn about 200 yards into the woods behind his home.

After seeking medical aid for the deer, which needed a few stitches, DelPrete found that most veterinarians won’t treat wild deer.

For now, the fawn will stay at DelPrete’s home, wrapped up in an old quilt. In a few days, DelPrete will move the deer to his grandparents’ cattle farm across the street from his home.

“Hopefully he’ll make some crying sounds and the mother will come back,” DelPrete said.

-- The Patriot Ledger

Conn. woman bitten after 'bite me' remark, police say

MERIDEN, Conn. -- An instructor at the Connecticut Police Academy has been charged with disorderly conduct after he allegedly responded literally to a co-worker's "bite me" remark.

Francis Woodruff, a former Waterbury police captain, was arraigned Tuesday and released on a promise to appear in court. He is accused of biting the arm of 42-year-old Rochelle Wyler, a license and applications analyst at the academy, on April 24.

According to the arrest report, she was left with teeth marks and bruising on her left triceps.

Wyler filed a complaint April 28, alleging the 51-year-old Woodruff was agitating her by calling her a clerk. She says she responded with "bite me" -- and he did.

When Mallow went to find his tee shot behind the green on No. 15, he noticed someone lying in some high weeds. The man, later identified as Tyler Williams, approached Mallow, pulled out a gun and demanded money, Assistant State's Attorney Steve Pattelli said.

Mallow showed the man his empty wallet and turned out his pockets to show he had no money. About this time, his two friends arrived on a golf cart, saw what was happening and called 911.

Williams and another man fled but were caught by police a short time later and identified by the golfers. They were charged Thursday with attempted armed robbery and face either probation or four to 15 years in prison if convicted.

"It was quite an ordeal, getting mugged on a golf course with a gun to your face," Mullen said.

-- Peoria Journal Star

'Mr. Casino' found guilty of craps scam

A Memphis, Tenn., man banned from casinos nationwide was convicted Wednesday of leading a craps cheating scam focused on Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.

After several days of deliberation, a six-member jury found Richard Taylor, 43, also known as “Mr. Casino,” or simply “Mr. C,” guilty of first-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, cheating and other charges.

Prosecutors Stephen M. Carney and David J. Smith had called upon several Foxwoods dealers to testify to allowing late bets at the craps table for Taylor or others who prosecutors said were Taylor’s associates.

The fast-moving game of craps relies on dealers to take bets before the dice are thrown. Dealers said they used code words “hot chocolate” or “strawberry daiquiri” to identify cheating players. They later were paid a cut of their winnings.

-- Norwich Bulletin

Man jailed after knife attack over messy room

MASSILLON, Ohio -- A Canton man was jailed Tuesday night after a knife attack that ended an argument over the uncleanliness of his room.

Stark County Jail records said Robert L. Putnam, 38, was arrested at his home on a felonious assault charge.

Putnam is accused of cutting Chad Jenkins, whose age was not available, with a knife during an argument after Jenkins accused Putnam of not keeping a clean room. The jail records did not say whether the men live in the same house.

Jenkins told police that Putnam suddenly pulled out a knife and charged at Jenkins, cutting him between the thumb and forefinger of his left hand, jail records said.

-- Canton Repository

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